Meal Prep… Taking Fast Food to a Whole New, Healthier Level

This post is sponsored by Rubbermaid®; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Everything I read these days, mentions self-care and the importance of making sure we take care of ourselves. Yet for some reason, I still tend to take care of everyone else before myself because, well, I’m a Mom and that’s what Moms do, right? My days are spent running around, working long hours and making sure I’m keeping the kids fed, clean and happy. I can’t count how many times I’ve forgotten to eat a meal. If it wasn’t for my husband, I might starve. Good news is, I’ve finally found a way to make sure that I always have a healthy meal, ready to go, thanks to Rubbermaid®TakeAlongs® Meal Prep Containers.

Now that I’ve mastered the art of meal prep, I’m ready to share my secrets! If I can do it, anyone can! It’s not as scary as it sounds, I promise.

Get Meal Prep Containers

The most important part of meal prep is how you’ll be storing it. There are so many options on the market, but one that I’ve found is both cost effective and strong enough to withstand everyday life. Rubbermaid®TakeAlongs® Meal Prep Containers include a divided base tray that can hold 3.7 cups of food. Their Quik Clik Seal lids ensure secure packaging with ridges for easy stacking and storage that creates more space in your kitchen. Once they are full, they perfectly stack on top of one another in your refrigerator so it’s not taking up too much space. TakeAlongs® Meal Prep Containers are available at your local Wal-Mart or on walmart.com and you’ll be surprised just how inexpensive they really are!

Make a Shopping List

TakeAlongs® Meal Prep Containers are offered in large pack sizes so you can meal prep for the entire week. It’s definitely worth spending an hour or so one day a week, to have fresh, healthy meals all week. Once you figure out what meals you are going to make, make a list of everything you’ll need to buy. I like to choose 3 complete meals (main dish and 2 side dishes) and make enough to double them up. I usually plan everything out and head to the grocery story on Saturday so I can cook and package everything on Sunday. An important point to remember is that they don’t have to be elaborate meals. Choose things that are easy to make and don’t be afraid to grab a frozen side like cauliflower rice.

It’s Prepping Time

When you have all your ingredients, it’s time to prep! For my three meals, I chose:

Cauliflower rice with crab meat and broccoli

Tuna fish, egg salad and sliced veggies

Shrimp Tacos on Romaine Lettuce with Avocado and Salsa

It took me about an hour to prep and cook all three meals. I used the same seasoning and sauce for the shrimp and the crab meat, saving me some time and ingredients. For the broccoli, I steamed it for about a minute less than I normally do, taking into consideration that I will be warming up the meal again before eating it. This way, the broccoli isn’t overcooked. Make sure that the entire container will either be cold or hot so you don’t have to worry about removing part of it to heat it up. Everything is about saving time when it comes to meal prep.

Separate into Containers

What I love about TakeAlongs® Meal Prep Containers is that they are sized perfectly for portion control so I’m not over doing it. Once everything is cooked/prepared, I separate them into my containers. Don’t forget your seasoning or extras like lime wedges, if your recipe calls for it. Everything should be ready to go. Meal prep is all about convenience so the less you have to worry about, the better.

Once the containers are full, stack them on top of one another and put them in the refrigerator. They have a see-through lid so you can easily see what is inside.

Don’t Miss a Healthy Meal

Since it’s all prepared and ready to go, meal prep takes “fast food” to a whole new, healthier level. You can open the refrigerator and pull out the container faster than you can go through a drive-thru! It’s actually less expensive too and the options are endless. TakeAlongs® Meal Prep Containers are microwave safe and BPA-free as well as dishwasher safe which makes cleaning and reusing that much easier.

Dedicating a small amount of time to meal prep each week has been a game changer for me. Do you meal prep? If not, what’s holding you back? Comment below and let me know!

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Article Comments

FS01/20/2019 6:55 am

I blog often and I seriously appreciate your information. Your article has really topped my interest. I’m going to bookmark your website and keep checking for new information about once a week. I subscribed to your RSS feed as well.

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Tami11/27/2018 4:45 pm

I often skip lunch either because I get busy or I am too indecisive to make something. Having healthy lunches prepared ahead of time would be wonderful.

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Kitty11/23/2018 10:45 am

I never tried a meal prep until now… I don’t think it workable for me… but I guess I need to try it once as I am pregnant and also have a toddler with me ???

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Andy Bishop11/07/2018 4:16 am

Great idea using these. Thanks!

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Kiwi11/04/2018 11:21 pm

wow I am so in alignment in this post. I was looking for meal prep containers in bulk online and I need to start doing more of this.

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Jordan | Read. Eat. Repeat.11/04/2018 4:43 pm

These look great! I have a similar set of meal prep containers, but the lids don’t fit well so I’ve been thinking of replacing them with something better.

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Traci11/04/2018 9:48 am

Meal prepping is a wonderful idea! I like how these have the dividers in there so you don’t have to worry about bringing separate containers if you don’t want certain food touching.

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Alyssa H11/03/2018 5:34 pm

I’ve tried meal prepping before but i’ve Never done the step with separating it into containers. I think that’s the key!

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Sarah Althouse11/03/2018 8:50 am

I’m a huge fan of takeout containers for the convenience so I’d sure love these too!

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Anosa Malanga11/02/2018 10:49 pm

I would definitely be needing this. Indeed such a great idea to put foods on when preparing different kinds foods.

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Nichole Arnold11/02/2018 10:20 pm

These are perfect for meal prep. I love how easy it is to give a salad and other items to my husband to take to work and them not touch.

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Swathi11/02/2018 7:38 pm

I like This meal preparing container, looks really easy and we can plan Ahead meal. I will check it out in the store for this container.

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Devyani11/02/2018 6:03 pm

I find meal Prep exhausting,but I got to do it in order to eat healthy! Love your tips

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Terri Beavers11/02/2018 5:43 pm

I’m not waiting for New Years to turn my unhealthy eating habits around. And I can see how these meal preps could help me achieve my goals.

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Ruth I.11/02/2018 2:23 pm

This is such a good idea! It’s so easy to prepare meals, store and reheat using this container.

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Mimi11/02/2018 1:24 pm

These conteiners will make meal prepping so much easier, I need to get some, thanks for sharing xx

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Evelyn Hernandez11/02/2018 1:23 pm

We own these and they are a game changer! For those that meal prep, these are the BEST! They sure make our life much easier!

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Supermompicks11/02/2018 12:53 pm

Love the cauliflower, crab, broccoli meal! Would love a post on how to prep twice a week as I like fresh food by Thursday.

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Andrea11/02/2018 12:33 pm

This is a life saving post! I hate meal prepping but this is going to make it easier for me!

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Cristina pop11/02/2018 12:23 pm

I love these containers! They help me keep a healthier lifestyle, without much effort!

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Terri Steffes11/02/2018 9:49 am

I totally adore these containers for food prep. They are perfectly sized, so the portions aren’t too big. I like the way they stack, so you can save room in the refrig.

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Sarah Meh11/02/2018 7:25 am

I am not good in meal prep but I love to have good containers 🙂 and this one looks worth to try.

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Pam11/01/2018 8:40 pm

I’ve been looking for new containers for my meal prep. These look perfect for me.

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Natalie Jerebic11/01/2018 7:09 pm

Perfect timing as we’ve been in need of some new containers. These sound perfect for our meal prep.

Ashley11/01/2018 5:07 pm

I need to be better about meal prep. Tonight is crazy and it would have come in handy.

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Sarah Bailey11/01/2018 5:00 pm

OK now this is such a great idea and a much healthier alternative to other quick food options. I should really try and get into meal prep and do things slowly but readily.

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Joan Cajic11/01/2018 3:21 pm

I am so bad at meal prepping,I tell myself I will do it then just postpone it all the time which leads me to eat whatever I find. I love the containers and maybe if I find nice ones like that,they just might make me do it.

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Melanie11/01/2018 11:45 am

I meal prep but just with containers that I already have at home. These containers would be helpful for making meal prepping easier.

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Tasheena11/01/2018 11:23 am

I have to look into getting these. Love Rubbermaid products, these would be perfect for my weekly meal planning.

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Amber Myers11/01/2018 10:52 am

Oh man, I so need to meal prep, but my version would be sticking a slice of pizza in each bin. I should eat healthier though. I like these, so I’ll have to get them! Plus I can see my mom using them. She eats healthier than I do and would want to meal prep properly.

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Jeanette11/01/2018 9:28 am

I have yet to see these in the stores by me. I need to look harder because I do love to do meal prep. I might even ask for a few these at Christmas.

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Glenda Cates11/01/2018 9:04 am

I haven’t seen these containers but I can’t wait to look for them in my store and to share them with my mother in law. As they would make packing lunches so much easier. What was your favorite dish to store in them?

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Brit Strawbridge11/01/2018 8:55 am

We meal prep but I definitely need to get better! I usually do a few meals but I need to learn how to do more haha I always undershoot! These containers look great!

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Karen11/01/2018 8:52 am

That is going to make my life so much easier! I love meal prepping, but then having to carry it around is no fun when it all mixes together.

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candy11/01/2018 8:43 am

First thing I thought of was making meals for my in-laws who are elderly. They can just re-heat and enjoy. They don’t need to be near a stove anymore cooking.

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robin rue11/01/2018 8:42 am

I need to star meal prepping. I always end up over-eating, so this would help me greatly! These containers are perfect.

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Jeanette10/22/2018 10:44 am

I think I need to hire you to do all my meal prep! This looks delicious but I am horrible at doing any meal prep! You definitely make it look easy and I didn’t even know Rubbermaid made these.

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Jessi Joachim10/22/2018 10:20 am

I need to grab some of these Take Alongs. I have been meal prepping quite a bit lately and need some new containers.

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Pam10/22/2018 9:48 am

I need to purchase some of these containers. I prepare my husband’s lunches for work and this would be a big help to prepare healthier meals.

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Monidipa Dutta10/22/2018 9:26 am

I never knew they are so helpful. Great informative post and educative too. I got to learn so many things.

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robin Rue10/22/2018 9:16 am

I am SO bad about meal prepping. I seriously need to start because I know I would snack so much less if I planned ahead.

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candy10/22/2018 9:15 am

These work really well for making meals for older parents who can just heat and serve in the microwave. They are eating healthy and don’t have to worry about them cooking or turning on the stove. Plus wash and re-use.

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Alli Smith10/22/2018 8:55 am

I love the idea of meal prep, but I’ve never done it. I’m really LOVING your meal choices and those containers. Rubbermaid always has the best containers.

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BIO

Launched in March of 2017, The Super Mom Life
focuses on subjects that parents can relate to
including parenting, food, fashion, travel and living with anxiety. Mom is a degree-holding graphic designer,
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money while expanding their reach. She also enjoys working with blogger hopefuls who want to turn their passion into a career.